MicroBlate™ Flex exceeds 100 clinical cases

Milestone reflects increasing utilisation across leading centres in the UK and Europe and the potential long-term commercial opportunity for Creo's flexible microwave ablation product

Creo Medical Group plc (AIM: CREO), the medical device company focused on the emerging field of minimally invasive surgical endoscopy for pre-cancer and cancer patients, announces that more than 100 clinical cases have now been completed using its MicroBlate™ Flex microwave ablation product.

Exceeding 100 clinical cases marks an important step in building procedural expertise and clinical confidence. This milestone reflects the continuing progress in the clinical rollout of MicroBlate™ Flex following the previously announced commencement of lung tumour procedures. It also indicates increased use of a new breakthrough device changing lung cancer treatment as clinicians gain experience with the product and its integration into emerging minimally invasive treatment pathways. While the product is still at an early stage of roll-out the Company expects case numbers to rise rapidly over the next 12 months.

MicroBlate™ Flex is Creo's soft tissue microwave ablation product, designed to deliver precise, controlled ablation of nodules and tumours in several tissue types through a flexible endoscopic platform. MicroBlate™ Flex is particularly suited to the treatment of hard-to-reach lesions, including lung tumours, where minimally invasive access and precise energy delivery are critical. Management believe the potential market size for MicroBlate™ Flex applications is significant.

Alongside commercial development, Creo remains focused on expanding the clinical evidence base for MicroBlate™ Flex through ongoing clinical studies, post-market data generation, investigator-led research and scientific publications. Importantly, the growing body of clinical experience is contributing to the continued development of treatment workflows combining robotic-assisted navigation and flexible microwave ablation. This forms part of Creo's previously announced long-term collaboration with Intuitive Surgical, Inc. and is helping to build real-world experience in minimally invasive robotic-assisted lung tumour treatment pathways.

Commenting on the clinical experience, Professor Pallav Shar, Consultant Respiratory Physician, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, said:

"The utility of robotic assisted bronchoscopy with Creo's MicroBlate™ Flex microwave ablation system broadens treatment options, particularly for patients with severe lung disease who may not have any other treatment options."

Commenting on the milestone, Craig Gulliford, Chief Executive Officer of Creo Medical, said:

"This milestone is a clear signal that the adoption and utilisation of MicroBlate™ Flex is building. We are seeing growing clinician engagement and utilisation, encouraging integration into clinical workflows across participating centres and real-world momentum as physicians gain experience with the product and its capabilities.

"The procedures in which MicroBlate™ Flex is being used have additional strategic value in helping clinicians develop treatment pathways that combine robotic navigation and microwave ablation, while also contributing to the evidence, workflow development and understanding of health economics that will support broader adoption.

"Together with our ongoing post-market clinical programme and previously announced long-term collaboration with Intuitive, this milestone is another important step in establishing MicroBlate™ Flex as a differentiated product in the evolving treatment landscape for early-stage lung cancer, where increasing rates of earlier diagnosis are creating greater demand for precise, minimally invasive options."